


First Impressions: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice

by FantasticalNonsense



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017), Cinderella (2015), Disney - All Media Types, Maleficent (2014), Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pride and Prejudice Fusion, Alternate Universe - Regency, Crossover, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-27 22:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10818030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasticalNonsense/pseuds/FantasticalNonsense
Summary: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife...."Isabella "Belle" Beauchamp is the spirited and headstrong daughter of a country squire of no great means. With the family estate entailed away from the female line, she and her sisters are faced with the challenge of marrying well to secure their financial futures. But Belle is determined that only the very deepest love will persuade her into matrimony.Adam Beaumont is the haughty and proud son of an aristocrat and master of a great estate in Derbyshire. When his friend, the affable Mr. Kingsley, invites him to stay at his new country house, Adam excepts out of obligation to him. He has no expectations of finding good society or tolerable companionship in an insignificant country backwater.When Miss Beauchamp and Mr. Beaumont first meet neither party is charmed by the other. But as events unfold they discover that a man can change his manners and a lady can change her mind in this classic tale of love, friendship, and mutual misunderstandings.





	First Impressions: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice

**Author's Note:**

> It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
> 
> (Jane Austen, P&P Chapter I)

On a Thursday afternoon in mid-September, Mr. Maurice Beauchamp sat in his study overlooking the foregrounds of Ashwood Hall, reviewing the household accounts in a desultory fashion while tinkering with the inner mechanisms of his favourite mantle clock. It was the time of day he enjoyed most; just after luncheon when the midday sun spread its languid beams across the grounds and a sense of calm permeated the house, one that--

“Mr. Beauchamp!”

...One that was inexplicably interrupted by the return of its matriarch. 

“Mr. Beauchamp!” his lady cried, bursting into the room. “Wonderful news! Carrisford House has been let at last!”

“Has it?” he replied, his eyes never leaving his work.

“Yes, for I have just had it from Mrs. Taylor. And do you not want to know who has taken it?”

He sighed, putting aside his instruments. “ _ You _ want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.” This was invitation enough. 

“Why, my dear, you must know it is taken by a young man of large fortune from London; he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Phineas immediately, and is to take possession before Michaelmas.”

“What is his name?”

“Mr. Kingsley.”

“And is he married or single?”

“Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune, four or five thousand year. What a fine thing for our girls.”

“How so?” Mr. Beauchamp inquired, closing his books and returning them to the shelves; he would get no more work done today. “How can it possibly affect them?”

“Oh Mr. Beauchamp,” replied his wife. “How can you be so tiresome? You must know I that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”

“Is that his design in settling here?”

“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so? But,” she continued, manoeuvring around him in that fluttery fashion of hers, “It is very likely that he  _ may _ fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.” 

“Mmm, I see no occasion for that.”

“But, but….indeed, you must go! It will be impossible for  _ us _ to visit him, if you do not.” 

“You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Kingsley will be very glad to see you and the girls; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever one he chooses. Though I must throw in a good word for my little Belle,” he added as an afterthought. 

Mrs. Beauchamp sniffed. “I desire you will do no such thing. Belle is not a bit better than the others, and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Ella nor half so good-humoured as Aurora; yet your are always giving  _ her _ the preference.”

“Nonsense,” he insisted. “They are all silly and ignorant like other girls; Belle just has a little more wit than the rest.”

“Mr. Beauchamp, how can you abuse your own children in such a--oh, you wicked man!” she cried. “You take delight in vexing me! You have no compassion upon my poor nerves.”

“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves; they’ve been my constant companions these twenty years at least,” he grinned cheekily. “But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.”

“It will be no use to us if twenty such should come since you will not visit them,” she countered.

“Depend upon it my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.” He returned to his desk. “Do close the door on your way out.” 

Mr. Beauchamp was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, and reserve that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. He reflected on this as she stormed out of his study, righteous indignation exhuming from her small frame as she murmured, “wicked man, wicked man!” Indeed,  _ her _ mind was less difficult to comprehend: Frances Beauchamp was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous, and her sole business in life was to see their daughters married. 

He glanced down at the mantle clock, its hands suspended incorrectly at a quarter to three. There was nothing for it--he would be obliged to go into town to have it repaired. Resolved in the matter, he summoned Robert to have his horse readied for him and prepared to leave.  

And if he happened by Carrisford and its new master on the way, well then, all the better for it.  

  
  


~ * ~ 

  
  


Three days passed and the ladies of the house knew nothing of Mr. Beauchamp's calling on Mr. Kingsley. His second daughter, Isabella, who was most like him in temperament and character, suspected that he had done so upon first hearing the news from Mrs. Beauchamp, and his continuous assurance to his wife that he should not go only strengthened her suspicions. Thus, when evening came and the family was gathered in the parlour after supper, she was proved correct when it was disclosed in the following manner: 

“Belle, dear, do stop playing,” sighed Mrs. Beauchamp. “My head aches.” 

Isabella’s fingers hovered over the keys of the pianoforte before she reluctantly retracted them, and bit back a retort that it was  _ she  _ who insisted she play to calm her nerves.  

“Sorry, Mama.” 

“Belle must practice, Mrs. Beauchamp,” said Mr. Beauchamp. “What will Mr. Kingsley say if she does not play well? He will not like it at all.” He gave Isabella a fond smile over his paper, followed by a wink, as she removed herself from the instrument. 

She returned his affection in kind and she sat next to her sisters. What was her dear papa up to?

“We are not in a way to know  _ what _ Mr. Kingsley likes, since we are never to visit,” said her mother resentfully. 

“But you forget, Mama,” interjected Eleanor. “That we shall meet him at the assemblies, and Mrs. Taylor has promised to introduce him.”

“I do not believe that Mrs. Taylor will do any such thing, Ella. She has three daughters of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman and I have no opinion of her.” 

“No more have I,” said Mr. Beauchamp. “And I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you.” 

Mrs. Beauchamp made no reply. 

“Perhaps Lady Garrod could make the introductions?” said Aurora, eager to be part of the conversation. “She and Sir Charles have called upon Mr. Kingsley, and her report was highly favourable. Did you know he rides a black horse and wears a fine blue coat?”

“She said it was green, Aurora, not blue.”

Aurora ignored Isabella and continued. “He also declared to Sir Charles that he loves to dance! And that he will be at the next assembly with a large party consisting of twelve ladies and seven gentlemen.”

Eleanor furrowed her brow. “I thought Lady Garrod said he was bringing six ladies and four gentlemen?” 

“Regardless, it is too many ladies,” said Isabella. 

“Oh girls, I beg you would stop!” cried Mrs. Beauchamp. “I am sick of Mr. Kingsley!”

Mr. Beauchamp put down his paper. “Why did you not tell me so before, Mrs. Beauchamp? If I had known as much, I would not have called on him. It is very unlucky, but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”

The ladies stared at him in astonishment. Isabella forced herself to hold back a smile.  _ Of course _ he had already gone; no doubt he withheld this information to extract this very response, particularly the tumult of joy that now rang from her mother’s lips. 

“Mr. Beauchamp, you are a wicked man indeed! But I do not mind,” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. “I knew you loved your daughters too well to neglect such an acquaintance. I do not know how we shall ever repay your kindness.”

“Then I shall leave you to ponder just that.” With a kiss to her cheek and a ‘goodnight, my dears,’ he left the room. 

“Aurora, my love, though you are the youngest I daresay Mr. Kingsley will dance with you at the next ball,” Mrs. Beauchamp declared.

“I am not afraid!” Aurora said stoutly. “Though I may be the youngest, I am the tallest!”

“What if Mr. Kingsley is exceedingly short?” questioned Isabella. 

“Than I shan't wish to dance with him anyway!” The ladies erupted into giggles. 

“Well, I am well satisfied,” said Mrs. Beauchamp. “If I can see one of you girls happily settled at Carrisford, and the other two equally well married, then I shall have nothing left to wish for.”

The rest of the evening was spent conjecturing how soon Mr. Kingsley would return Mr. Beauchamp’s visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So this crossover was the result of my current fixation with the live-action Beauty and the Beast remake, my love of Jane Austen novels, and recent re-watchings of Cinderella (2015) which had me compare Ella and Kit to Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley and Belle and Beast to Lizzy Bennet and Mr. Darcy. I'm not sure if this story should be considered a proper crossover as it will heavily centre on Belle/Beast, but other characters from the aforementioned live-actions films will be making appearances so I guess it counts. 
> 
> Just a quick note on name pronunciation: the family's surname, "Beauchamp" is actually pronounced "bee-chum." Though it's Norman/French in origin most people wouldn't have used that pronunciation in 19th century England (or today for the matter) unless you were really posh and had French relatives. I also chose it for the juxtaposition between Belle's name and Beast's name to distinguish their class and status: Belle uses the Anglo-pronunciation whereas Adam uses the the Norman/French-pronunciation for Beaumont ("bow-mont"), indicating a sense of superiority that connects his family to the distant past in a way that Belle does not. 
> 
> Note two: in case you were confused, yes, Frances Beauchamp is the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella (2015). I have [cinderellasfella](cinderellasfella.tumblr.com) to thank for that idea. Conor, if you're reading this, I just wanted to say thank you once again for helping me out! This story wouldn't exist without you.


End file.
